Palestinian Embassy In London Damaged By Pro-Israel Demonstrators

Palestinian flags in front of the Palestinian mission office in London (Twitter @egypt_uk)

JAKARTA - The Palestinian Embassy in London, England asked for police protection and assistance from the local government after the building was damaged by pro-Israeli demonstrators.

Activists carried Israeli and British flags. Some covered their faces with black scarf and took a photo of themselves outside the embassy.

They damaged the entrance using a sticker bearing the slogan "I love the IDF", referring to the Israeli military, and "We are not Jews to our knees."

The Metropolitan Police (The Met) said, "no violations were identified, and no arrests were made" in a statement to The National, as quoted Friday (5/12).

However, staff at the embassy told The National they had contacted the Metropolitan Police to request a full investigation into the "attack", which took place on Saturday last week, and to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to request "comprehensive protection for the embassy and its personnel".

"To those responsible, we expressly convey that your actions will not hinder us. We will continue to advance Palestinian-England relations and defend the rights and lives of the Palestinian people," said a representative.

This is not the first attack on the Palestinian Embassy compound. In the last two years, during Israel's military campaign in Gaza, the windows have been broken and the building has been sprayed with paint while staff is on board.

The representative said police protection at the embassy had been asked "multiples". "We respectfully ask the British government to fulfill its obligations based on the Vienna Convention. The only protection we receive is occasional police patrols, not full security. In the end, we urge the British government to carry out a thorough investigation and take appropriate protective measures," they added.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry urged Britain to "take the necessary steps to hold those responsible for these attacks accountable and ensure that this does not happen again". The ministry said the government had "legal and moral obligations to protect diplomatic missions".

Embassy staff said they did not know whether the perpetrators were affiliated with specific goals or movements. However, more and more people carried Israeli and British flags in parades to support right-wing activist Tommy Robinson in the last two years.

Britain itself recognized Palestine in September, which automatically stepped up missions in West London to become an embassy, although the official exchange had not yet occurred.

Palestinian Ambassador to Britain Husam Zomlot is one of the most prominent Palestinian advocates in Europe. Embassy staff believe the attack was intended to intimidate him and his team against advocating.

"We know what the end goal is: they are trying to prevent us from continuing to fulfill our duty in representing the people and our noble goals in England," he said.